


All I Want for Christmas Is You

by MyOxIsBroken



Series: Loki Is So Fluffy [1]
Category: Loki - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Post-Thor: The Dark World, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, Kissing, Mistletoe, Not a Euphemism, Tree Trimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:08:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21690958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyOxIsBroken/pseuds/MyOxIsBroken
Summary: You're a rookie Avenger who has been living and working in the Avengers Tower for six months. With the holidays approaching, your thoughts turn towards romance and a certain God of Mischief. You think he may be into you, but he hasn't made a move. Is there anything you can do to help things along?
Relationships: Loki (Marvel)/Reader
Series: Loki Is So Fluffy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1616680
Comments: 21
Kudos: 104





	All I Want for Christmas Is You

**Author's Note:**

> Written as part of the Merry Kismet Writing Challenge from sourpatchkidsandacokecan on Tumblr.
> 
> Thank you, Caffiend, for beta-reading!

“Brr! It’s freezing out there!” you said, stamping your feet as you entered the warm lobby of the Avengers tower and headed towards the elevator to your quarters. You had been a junior Avenger for the last six months, and it still felt unreal to be living and working and fighting among them.

“You are the one who chose to engage in a snowball fight, pet,” said Loki, smirking at your continuing efforts to get warmth back into your hands. He had not wanted to participate but had stood at the lobby windows, watching, for some reason that was a mystery to you.

“I know, but it was worth it when I nailed Tony right in the face,” you answered, satisfaction permeating your voice.

“That was quite gratifying,” he conceded.

“My hands are so cold! Feel them!” you said, wanting to take advantage of the opportunity to touch the beautiful god.

“I will not,” he said, watching the numbers descending as the elevator reached the lobby. The two of you waited for the elevator to empty out of its previous occupants, then stepped in.

Loki watched you rub your hands together, then rub them on your pants, trying in vain to bring more circulation and heat back into them.

“Give them here,” he said, holding his hands out, palms up.

“What?” you asked, startled.

“Do you want your hands to be warmer, or do you not?”

You placed your hands in his open ones and he began to rub them with his fingers.

“Your gloves are pathetic if this is the best that they could do.”

“I wasn’t wearing gloves.”

He stared at you, incredulous. “Why would you go without, mortal?”

“They were hindering my snowball-making abilities.”

Loki sighed and drew your hands towards his mouth, now blowing warm air between them as his hands continued to hold them on the outside. You were nearly chest to chest, with your arms in between. This was the closest you had ever been to the god, and you took advantage of that fact to study his exquisite face. His sculpted cheekbones and sharply-cut jawline did nothing to belie his divine nature; physically, you could not imagine anyone looking more perfect, even angelic, although you knew the God of Mischief would scoff at that description.

His curious eyes met yours as you studied him, and your breaths became more shallow now that you were held in his gaze. If your hands were free, you would have reached them out to trace over the lines of his face that you were so intently examining. You probably would have embarrassed yourself had you done so; Loki would likely not appreciate such intimate contact from you.

Neither of you spoke, and you began to feel an electricity in the air that you suspected had nothing to do with your newly discovered powers. You drew a fraction closer to Loki as he swayed the tiniest bit towards you. Then the ding of the elevator announced it was stopping, and Loki abruptly dropped your hands, stepping back and glancing up at the floor number.

“This is my stop,” he said, suddenly awkward.

He turned and stepped out of the elevator without a backward glance, giving a brief nod to Nat as she stepped in.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“Fine. It’s just...that was weird.”

“What was?”

You told her what had happened and Nat said nothing as the two of you disembarked at your floor. She wore a contemplative look that had you wondering.

“What is it?”

“I think Loki has a crush.”

“On who?” you asked, feeling as if someone had punched you in the stomach.

“Seriously?! On you! He never used to spend much time in the common areas with the rest of us. I think it was partly because he didn’t feel like he was one of us yet, but I’ve definitely noticed a significant escalation of his presence over the last six months. Have you really not noticed him watching you, and finding reasons to be where you are, and shooting murdery glances at people when he thinks they’re paying too much attention to you?”

“No! There is absolutely no way that Loki is into me.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m weird and awkward and have strange eating habits and talk too much, and he’s a literal god.”

Nat rolled her eyes. “You are fun to be around, you make people laugh, you’re a badass in a fight, and you’re kind to everyone, even when they don’t deserve it. And from a purely superficial standpoint, you’re lovely, and you’ve got a slammin’ bod.”

Your face burned at Nat’s praise. “Do you really think all that?”

“I don’t just think it, it’s objectively true. I can take a poll of the guys if you want, but I assure you that they will all agree with me. Listen, I know that Loki can seem scary, but it’s mostly an act these days. Don’t get me wrong - you do not want to be on the opposite side from him in a battle because he’s lethal. But he saves that for the bad guys these days.”

“That doesn’t mean that he’s attracted to me.”

“Trust me on this. I know what I’m talking about, and Loki is into you.”

You had a lot to think about as you unlocked the door to your quarters and went in. Did Loki really like you like that? (Also, what were you, 12?) If so, why hadn’t had he done anything about it? Maybe you needed to provide a little encouragement.

Or maybe Nat was completely wrong and you would end up humiliating yourself by putting yourself out there and getting shot down. But nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? 

Over the next few cold December days, you paid special attention to what Loki was doing. You thought Nat might just be onto something. It seemed like he frequently turned up wherever you were, and now that you were being less obtuse, it felt as if his eyes regularly followed you.

You had never thought of the god as shy, so what was holding him back? It was time to start testing the waters to see if Nat was right.

*

Loki had walked away from his elevator encounter with the delightful little mortal feeling certain that he had given his feelings away to her. He had tried to avoid physical contact because he knew that would make keeping his secret that much more difficult, but when she had been trying in vain to warm up after her impetuous fight in the snow, he could not help himself. 

But she had given him no reason to think that she returned his feelings. She was simply being friendly, just as she was with the rest of the team. 

It had taken a long time to win acceptance from the other Avengers, and even then it was a begrudging acceptance for some. Loki knew that there were still many on Midgard who did not trust him after his attack on the planet under Thanos’ influence. He did not fault them for it; he blamed himself as well.

He had not pursued a woman since he had taken up residence here. Attempting to woo his mortal would be a risk, and he was not willing to face the mockery of the vaunted Avengers when she spurned him. He must be more careful. He was not, however, willing to avoid her altogether. He enjoyed spending time with her too much to do that.

**

You walked around the large Douglas Fir that Pepper had put in the lounge at your request. It had to be close to 10 feet tall, and it was going to take a while to decorate it. Of course, now that it was time to do so, the rest of the team had made themselves scarce. Everyone wanted to enjoy the tree once it was decorated, but no one wanted to actually put in the work. You thought you could have at least talked Cap and Sam into helping, but the two of them were away on a quick mission. You were determined to get everything put on, even if you had to haul a stepladder in here to do it. At least someone had already put the light strings on for you.

You had just begun to dig into the boxes of ornaments when movement near the doorway caught your eye.

“Loki!” you said, watching as he stepped further into the lounge with a reserved smile. “You’re perfect!”

“What?” he said, startled.

“I need someone tall to help me with the decorations!”

If you were not watching him carefully, you would have missed the way his face fell a little at that.

“Plus I like spending time with you.”

That had put a smile back on his face, only now there was a bit of smugness to it. “I suppose I can indulge your whims for a while. Where shall I begin?”

He was surprisingly complacent as you directed the placement of the ornaments, your inner perfectionist shoving her way to the forefront as Loki smirked at your bossiness. Although it took a while to get all the ornaments on the tree, the time felt like it had flown by. Soon you realized that all that remained was the star topper. Picking it up, you held it out to Loki.

“I suppose you should be the one to put this on, since I can’t reach that high.”

You squeaked in surprise when Loki spun you around to face the tree. Placing his hands at your waist, he bent his head toward your ear and whispered, “Why don’t you do it, pet?”

He lifted you as easily as if you were a child, raising you up enough so that you could connect the topper to the highest light strand and put it at the peak of the tree before carefully lowering you back down. 

You turned around to thank him and discovered that you were startlingly close to the god once again, his hands still at your waist. You forgot how to speak for a few moments, but found your voice and said softly, “Thank you.”

He smiled a slow, sexy smile before giving you a nod and leaving you to watch his departure from the lounge. You were only too happy to watch him saunter out, enjoying how his ass and thighs looked in his tight-fitting leather pants. Honestly, how did he get those things on in the morning? However he managed, you were thankful that he did.

Something seemed to have changed in those last few minutes together. You weren’t sure if the time spent decorating the tree had caused it, or if it just happened all of a sudden, or if it had been building towards this for a while, but there was definite interest in his eyes by the time he had left you there.

*

Loki was determined to play it cool when he had seen his little mortal in the lounge, but her plea to help him with the tree immediately broke that resolve. He had felt so deflated when he learned that his height was the reason that she wanted him to stay, until she told him that she liked being with him. It was all the encouragement he needed to make himself useful.

He had tried so hard to have self-control and had managed to make it nearly all the way through before she had held the tree topper out to him. He could see that she wanted to do it but was tamping down her disappointment in the interest of expediency, allowing Loki to place it there instead. He could not resist lifting her up to do it herself. He knew that it would please her, and it gave him an excuse to touch her.

He had badly wanted to kiss her when she turned around and had stared at him in such a beguiling manner. He was sure she was completely unaware of how appealing she was, which only made him want her more. She seemed to find him attractive. Perhaps it was within the realm of possibility that he could win her over. He would need to test the waters to see if she truly was interested in him.

**

You were nearing the lounge when you heard the sounds of bickering. You quickly turned in an attempt to avoid the juvenile conversation, but it was too late. Tony had spotted you.

“Rainbow Sparkle! Get in here!”

“Aha! I *knew* you watched My Little Pony! And I’ve told you before, if you’re going to use ridiculous nicknames, I prefer Volt. Or you could just, you know, use my ACTUAL NAME.”

“What fun is that, Princess Power Plant?”

You spread your fingers wide and let the blue flickers of electricity begin to jump between them. “I mean it, Tony. Enough with the stupid nicknames.”

“Okay, fine! Ruin my fun. My sincerest apologies, Volt.”

“Why did you call me in here, Tony?”

“I need you to settle a debate: is Die Hard a Christmas movie, or is it not?”

You looked around the room incredulously. This is what they were wasting their breath arguing about? At least Cap and Bruce had the good grace to look sheepish. Sam and Bucky looked as if they were about ready to come to blows, although you were fairly sure it was just posturing and trying to assert their manliness. Clint and Natasha were pouring shots, evidently trying to drink one another under the table while ignoring the squabbling children, while Wanda and Vision were in the kitchen area, putting the finishing touches on the dinner they’d made for the team. Only Thor and Loki were missing from the regular suspects.

“Are you freaking kidding me? Of *course* it’s a Christmas movie! ‘Ho Ho Ho, now I have a machine gun’? Christmas in Hollis on the soundtrack? I mean, it takes place on Christmas Eve, at a Christmas party!”

Bucky and Tony looked smug as the others rolled their eyes at your answer. Then you felt a presence behind you and turned to see Loki approach to stand in the doorway next to you.

“Reindeer Games!” crowed Tony.

You let loose a tiny jolt of electricity, and Tony jumped when it hit its intended target.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“I said to knock it off with the stupid nicknames.”

“I thought that was just in relation to you.”

“And now you’ve realized your mistake.”

Your powers had freaked you out when you had first begun to discover them, but now you found they came in handy in the most varied of situations. You turned to smile at Loki and could see him barely holding back a grin of his own.

“Hey, how has no one mentioned that Loki and Volt are standing under the mistletoe?”

“What?” you said, startled, as you looked up. Sure enough, there was a clump of the greenery hanging in the doorway. “Okay, who put that there?”

“Bucky. He’s been trying to catch someone under it all day. I guess you and Loki have better luck,” answered Cap.

The two of you looked at one another, neither of you moving. You had daydreamed about kissing him, but not in front of the whole crowd, and not because the mistletoe was compelling him.

“Well, are you going to kiss her, Loki, or aren’t you? Because if you’re not, I’m happy to step in,” said Bucky, moving towards you with a swagger in his step.

“You will do no such thing, Barnes. It is my responsibility, and I will carry it out,” said Loki firmly.

_Responsibility? What the hell?_ you thought. _I guess that settles how he sees me, then._

Loki turned toward you in a way that shielded you from the view of the rest of the room. He gently took hold of your chin and lifted your face, searching your eyes to make sure that you were okay with this. You gave him a little smile and nod to reassure him. Then he lowered his head and gave you a kiss that you could only describe as tender, not a word that you would have associated with Loki before this moment. You leaned in, and he deepened the kiss a little, sliding his tongue through your parted lips and swiping your mouth with it as if he wanted to take all the time in the world to explore how you tasted. You heard yourself whimper softly, to your own embarrassment.

You heard nothing else while he was kissing you. It was as if everything outside of the two of you had faded away and you were conscious of nothing except how he felt and tasted and smelled. You wanted to press your body up against his and get the full experience of embracing a god, but you exercised just enough restraint to avoid embarrassing yourself by doing so.

Then you suddenly became aware of the wolf-whistles from your forgotten audience. Loki stepped back, looking surprisingly self-conscious.

“Forgive me, gyðja,” he said softly.

“There’s nothing to forgive,” you answered, offering him a reassuring smile.

The applause and whistles continued as Loki inclined his head and gave you a playful smile in return. “Shall we take a bow?” he said, extending his hand to you.

You put your hand in his and the two of you turned to your audience, sweeping your bodies into exaggerated bows for the benefit of those watching. Inside, you were still shaken by the intensity of what you’d felt during a simple kiss. You were grateful that Loki was able to lighten the mood, but you were sure that he had felt something, too.

*

Loki stayed in the lounge as long as he could manage. He made his escape a few minutes later, needing some time alone to cool down after that unexpected embrace. He thought he might even need a cold shower if he could not master his body’s reaction soon. How could he be this hard simply from kissing his little gyðja? 

He had been managing just fine until he’d made the mistake of introducing his tongue into her mouth. The warmth he’d found there and the flavor of her was intoxicating, and when she whimpered, he’d nearly forgotten where they were in his desire for more of her. It was only when the reactions of others pierced his consciousness that he had been able to stop himself.

And yet she had not stopped him, either. On the contrary, she had been quite...enthusiastic. It was a very encouraging development indeed.

**

“What are you watching?”

You had escaped to the lounge when you couldn’t fall asleep and had put on one of your favorite movies. You paused the movie and turned to see Loki standing just inside the lounge, wearing a pair of gray track pants and a thin green henley. The pants clung to his muscular thighs, and you knew that, if you were privileged enough to see the back view, they would highlight his perfect ass. You shook your head to clear it of lustful thoughts and answered him.

“‘While You Were Sleeping.’ Have you seen it?”

Loki shook his head, and you beckoned him over, lifting up your blanket in an invitation for him to slide in next to you and share it. He hesitated, standing above you for a moment before taking you up on the offer.

“What is it about?”

“Lucy is a token-taker for the Chicago transit system, and she falls in love with Peter when he comes by her booth every day, but she’s never talked to him. She’s just saved his life after some guys knocked him onto the train tracks during an attempted robbery. But now he’s unconscious, and she’s about to meet his family. That’s all you’ve missed so far.”

“She fell in love with a man with whom she has never spoken?” he asked, skeptical.

“It’s a rom-com. These things happen. And besides, it turns out just fine in the end.”

“Rom-com?”

“Romantic comedy. It’s a good one. You’ll like it, trust me.”

With that, you started up the movie again, feeling very conscious of Loki’s warmth next to you. You were quite toasty, in your comfy Christmas jammies with the cozy blanket over you and the god nearby, but you were not about to miss this opportunity. After a few minutes, you gave an exaggerated shiver.

“Cold, pet?” Loki asked.

“A little,” you lied, but it was for a good cause.

Loki was well aware of your deceit, but he was perfectly happy to play along. He lifted his arm up, and you slid over so that you were cuddled up against his side, his arm coming down around you to hold you close. Perfect.

You made it all the way through to one of your favorite parts of the movie, Peter’s conversation with Lucy about leaning, when you felt your eyes finally beginning to droop. You fought off the exhaustion, wanting to savor this time with Loki as much as possible, but before long, you lost the battle and fell into slumber, curled up against the God of Mischief.

*

Loki had been so pleased when he’d discovered his sweet mortal by herself in the lounge during one of his nighttime rovings. He did not need much rest and often roamed when most of the others were asleep. He liked the peacefulness and usually preferred to avoid company, but he was inexorably drawn to her when he saw her there, looking so adorable in her reindeer pajamas. He could not resist when she invited him to watch the movie with her. 

He would have said yes no matter what she’d been watching, but he had to admit that he had enjoyed the film she’d picked. He was sure that Lucy had chosen Peter incorrectly and that Jack was the brother for her, but women so often seemed to choose the flashier brother, in his own experience.

He felt her body leaning against him more heavily. He dipped his head down to see that she had evidently fallen asleep, and he could not help the smile that grew on his face. That she was so comfortable with him that she would not only invite him to share a late-night movie with just the two of them but that she would also fall asleep in his presence, made him feel almost giddy. What in the Norns was happening to him?

**

You woke up the next morning, still in the lounge, but stretched out on the couch where you’d been watching the movie with Loki. There was a pillow under your head and your blanket had been spread out to cover your body. You were a little disappointed that Loki was not still there with you, but you imagined that he had plenty of things to do and perhaps did not wish to be discovered all snuggled up on the couch with you when the others came in. 

The disappointment was mitigated when you remembered hearing a whisper of, “Sleep, little gyðja,” and feeling a soft kiss pressed to your hair just as you fell into slumber. That memory made you feel all warm and tingly inside.

It was later than you usually slept and you were sure that some of the Avengers had already been in and out for breakfast. Had you slept that hard, or were they especially quiet that morning when they had seen you in there, sleeping?

You gathered up your things and opened the door to head to your quarters, surprised to find a group standing on the other side of it.

“It’s about time!” said Clint, clearly in need of his morning coffee.

“What were you doing in there?” asked Bruce.

“What do you mean?” you asked, a perplexed frown on your features.

“We haven’t been able to get in all morning. We couldn’t even get close enough to try the handle. We thought maybe Friday had locked down the room for some reason, but Tony hasn’t been able to get any information from the system. We were starting to wish that Thor was here so he could use Mjolnir to try to bust the door down to see what was happening,” he explained.

“I was just sleeping. The door seemed fine from the other side,” you said, shrugging as if you had no idea what had gone on. In reality, you were pretty sure that Loki had put wards on the room to keep you from being disturbed while you slept. Although you knew it had been a major inconvenience to the others, you could not help but be touched by his thoughtful protectiveness. It was quite sweet of him, really. 

You left quickly before anyone could start asking questions, vowing to make some Christmas treats to make up for their morning deprivation.

*

Loki entered the lounge late that afternoon to find it in utter shambles. Flour was spilled on various surfaces, mixing bowls, baking sheets, and spatulas were stacked up in the sinks, and there were cooling racks with goodies on them on nearly every spot on the counter.

In the midst of it all was his little mortal, with flour on her nose and in her hair. Evidently she had gotten the urge to bake and make sweet treats. She looked enchanting with her hair piled up on top of her head and her cheeks flush with the warmth from the ovens and stovetop.

“My my, you have been busy. What is all this for?” he asked.

“I love making cookies and candy for Christmas, and I felt like I should do something to make up for monopolizing the room this morning. Thank you for that, by the way. I haven’t slept so well in ages, and it was really nice not being woken up by the clamor of the whole gang.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” said Loki with a sly smile.

“Also, thank you for letting me sleep on you. You’re surprisingly comfortable, for a god.”

“Have you much experience sleeping on gods?” he asked, amused.

“No, you would be the first. I just assumed all that muscle wouldn’t be so comfy,” you said, giving Loki a boldly assessing once-over. 

You were surprised to see a blush on his cheeks, but he wore a pleased smile. 

“What is that you’re cutting up?” he asked.

“Fudge. Would you like to try it?”

“I would be delighted.”

You used a small spatula to lift a piece out as he came around the counter to join you. You held it up to his mouth, feeling flirty.

He raised his hand and you felt disappointed at the thought of him taking it from you. Instead, he took hold of your wrist and, looking you in the eyes, slowly brought your hand closer to his mouth as he dipped his head. He opened his enticing lips and took a bite that encompassed most of the piece, continuing to hold your wrist and stroke it with his thumb while he chewed.

“Mmm,” he said in a low voice that made your lower belly do flip-flops, and other parts of you warm up and tighten considerably.

He opened his mouth again and took the last bit in, then he sucked your fingers into his mouth, licking the remaining chocolate off of them as you forgot to breathe.

“Delicious,” he said, his eyes flashing dangerously at you. 

You felt the tiniest frisson of fear up your spine, not out of fear of Loki, but of your own intense feelings and all the things that you wanted to do to him, and him to you. You were quite sure that he would ruin you for all other men, and you wanted him to do exactly that. You were just about to reach your other hand up to pull him down for a kiss when there was a rustle right outside the door.

You broke apart as Thor walked in, newly returned from a visit to Alfheim.

“Brother!” he called out jauntily, clearly happy to see Loki. He approached him and embraced him heartily with a clap to his back.

“Thor,” said Loki, inclining his head as he stepped back from the hug. “Your timing is impeccable, as usual.”

“Fair maiden, I see that you have been hard at work, making tempting delicacies to delight the taste buds. I beseech you to have mercy upon me and allow me to sample these wares!”

You rolled your eyes at Thor’s over-the-top request and looked at Loki. “Is he always this theatrical?” you asked.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Loki teased his brother.

You filled a plate for Thor and watched him nearly inhale everything, exclaiming over all of it. You were glad that he was enjoying the results of your labor, but he really did ruin the moment with his entrance.

“I’d better put this fudge in the fridge and go get cleaned up for dinner. Although I really should clean up this mess first,” you said.

“Allow me,” answered Loki. Waving his hand, the dirty dishes disappeared from your view. The treats you had made were now in containers to keep them fresh, and the fudge was presumably in the refrigerator.

You opened a cupboard and found the bowls that you had been using stacked neatly, completely clean. A god who did the dishes for you? That’s it, you were in love.

“Thank you,” you said softly, leaning up on your tiptoes and bracing yourself against his bicep to give him a little kiss on the cheek, to his surprise. You squeezed his arm, then left for your quarters, smiling the whole way.

*

“So, Volt has caught your eye, has she?” asked Thor, patting Loki on the back.

“I do not know what you mean,” answered Loki, feeling exposed and defensive.

“Do not lie to me, brother. I know you. I have watched you around her before. You were standing very close when I entered just now, and I saw the way you were looking at her, and how you watched her leave. You have developed feelings for her, have you not?”

“Perhaps,” he conceded.

“And have you any idea if she returns your feelings?” Thor asked.

“I believe so. I would have likely known for sure had you not entered when you did,” said Loki, a little sharpness in his tone.

“I am sorry, brother. I am sure you will have the opportunity to find out soon, but I do regret my unfortunately-timed return.”

Loki smiled at his brother.

“Just a slight delay. Tell me, how was your trip to Alfheim?”

**

You had just finished getting cleaned up and changed when your phone buzzed with a notification from Security. Evidently, you had a visitor downstairs. You weren’t expecting anyone and were puzzled as to who it could be. You rode the elevator down to the lobby and stepped out of the doors, spying Loki over by the coffee shop. You started to head his way when you heard a familiar voice call your name.

Spinning, you knew your face showed your shock at seeing your brother for the first time in a year. He had not told you he was coming. You ran to him and he picked you up, swinging you around in a circle as he hugged you.

“What are you doing here? You didn’t tell me you were leaving Thailand for the holidays!”

“It was a last-minute decision,” answered David. “Jeff was able to get a really good last-minute airfare for me and asked me to come to spend Christmas with him and his family.”

“Christmas with the family? Wow, that’s a pretty big step!”

“Tell me about it. I’m more than a little nervous, to tell you the truth. And I really wanted to see you, so I had Jeff book the tickets with a stop in New York each way. This one is only overnight, but on my return trip, I thought I’d visit for a few days. Is it alright if I crash here with you tonight?”

“Of course! I’d love to have you stay here with me, and I’m sure the security clearance won’t be a problem. But first - there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

You turned, expecting to see Loki somewhere in the lobby still, but he was nowhere to be found.

“I guess you’ll have to meet him later!” you said. You knew David would be thrilled to meet Loki. Perhaps you could introduce them at dinner.

*

Loki felt as if the air had all been sucked out of his lungs when he saw her run at the tall, handsome young man and be swept into his arms as he spun her around. They embraced one another tightly, and Loki did not want to witness the kiss that he was sure would follow.

He quickly made for the elevators and reversed one that had just started upward, stepping in and pressing the button for his floor. He breathed out a sigh of relief when the doors closed before any kissing took place.

He silently berated himself the entire ride up to his floor and all the way down the corridor to his quarters. He had been so sure that she was attracted to him, that she wanted to pursue something with him. But she did not seem the type to either string someone along or to juggle more than one man at a time. How had he misread her so badly?

**

The whirlwind visit with your brother had been so much fun! You had packed a lot into the hours you had, stopping only to get some sleep overnight so you weren’t exhausted the next day. He had been overwhelmed by dinner with the Avengers, but they had welcomed him with open arms, teasing him like he was their brother, too. He soon relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the meal.

You weren’t sure where Thor had gone off to again, but you were more disappointed by Loki’s absence. You had really wanted these two men who were so important to you to meet one another. 

You didn’t spy Loki before your brother left the next afternoon. You were sure you would have the opportunity to make an introduction when David came back through on his return trip, so you shook off your discouragement and tried to focus on getting ready for that night’s holiday party in Avengers Tower.

*

Loki had no wish to attend the party, but he had promised Pepper he would be there, and he knew there would be hell to pay if he broke his promise to her. He begrudgingly waved his hand and was now wearing a beautifully cut three-piece charcoal suit with an emerald-colored shirt and tie. If he had to be there, he was going to at least look devilishly handsome.

*

You wandered around the party, feeling a little bereft. Loki was behaving perfectly cordially, but that was it. Your efforts to engage him in deeper conversation kept coming to dead ends, and any attempt at flirting quickly fizzled. He was being polite, but there was nothing of the intimacy, or even the previous friendship, that you had been building. It was as if he was trying to distance himself from you, and you did not know what you had done to put him off of you so completely.

Nat caught you trying to sneak out of the party early.

“What’s going on?”

“I have no idea. Yesterday, we almost kissed. Now I can barely get him to talk to me.”

“Did anything happen in between that might be making him act this way?”

“No, we didn’t speak afterward until I saw him at the party tonight. I hadn’t even seen him. Well, except for a few seconds in the lobby yesterday when I went down to meet my brother.”

“Did he clash with your brother?”

“He never even met him. He was gone from the lobby before I could introduce them.”

Nat thought for a moment, wheels turning.

“I’ve been watching him tonight. He can barely keep his eyes off of you when you’re not talking to him. He's had a sour look on his face when you've been dancing with anyone. And he keeps glancing around as if he’s looking for someone. I think he’s jealous.”

“Of what?” you asked skeptically.

“Is there any possibility that he saw the two of you and maybe thought that your brother was *not* your brother?”

“I don’t know. Why wouldn’t he talk to me about it?”

“You expect the God of Mischief to be vulnerable and talk about his feelings?” asked Nat, raising her eyebrows.

“I wish he’d at least been around so that I could have cleared things up, if that really is the problem. I just don’t know. I don’t think I can do this, Nat.”

“You’re doing this, and I will not accept any arguments. If you try to skip out, I will make your training so miserable that you’ll wish you’d never been born. Go get changed and get your ass back here ASAP.”

“Aye aye, General!” you said with a mock salute.

A few minutes later, you returned in the dress Nat had insisted you wear for the song, a red velvet number with a flirty skirt that fell just above your knees and faux white fur around the scooped neckline. This was either going to be the best thing you’d ever done or a total disaster, and you really were not sure which way it was going to go.

But you were in it now. And if you were doing this, you were going to do it right.

“Hellooo, Avengers!” you called into the mike that was on the stage. “I have a little song I’d like to sing for someone special.”

*

Loki saw her walk back through the doorway in her short little Santa dress and groaned. It was bad enough when she was wearing that slinky dark green dress that hugged her curves. She looked gorgeous in his signature color. But now she was showing off her beautiful legs, and he could see a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage at her neckline.

When she took her place behind the microphone and dedicated her upcoming song to someone special, he began to rise from his place, unwilling to sit and watch and listen as the woman he lo- the woman he had come to care for sang to someone else. But before he could move more than an inch off the chair, Thor’s hand came down on his shoulder to press him back into his seat.

“Brother, you would not wish to be rude to your paramour, would you?” he asked.

“She is not my paramour.”

“No, not yet, but she will undoubtedly soon have that title.”

Loki frowned at his brother’s misplaced optimism but remained in his seat and listened. He could not help but look around for the man he had seen with her yesterday. Evidently, he was here and Loki had just not noticed. To whom else would she have dedicated this song?

*

You nodded at the band and they began to play as you took a deep breath and began to sing:

_I don't want a lot for Christmas  
There is just one thing I need  
I don't care about the presents  
Underneath the Christmas tree_

_I just want you for my own  
More than you could ever know  
Make my wish come true  
All I want for Christmas is you, yeah._

You could see Loki looking around with a frown and wondered what was bothering him. He didn’t seem to be into the song, that was for sure.

You felt like an idiot, but you were committed, and you were going to kick this song’s ass. Fortunately, the alcohol had been flowing for a while now, and you found yourself with spontaneous support as Sam, Cap, and Bucky all took the stage and became your impromptu backup singers. They brought a smile to your face with their ridiculous on-the-fly choreography. It helped you through almost to the end, but now it was time for the big finish.

You stepped off the stage when it was almost the last chorus and started walking through the tables as you headed for your goal. Loki had his head down but looked up when he realized you had stopped in front of him.

_Make my wish come true,  
All I want for Christmas is you_

You stole a page from Love, Actually and pointed at Loki as you sang. Cheesy, you knew, but there was no mistaking your intent. Either he would reciprocate, or you would know for sure that he didn't want you and could move on.

Your heart pounded as you finished the song and waited for Loki’s response. His face never changed from its stunned expression, and you felt every eye upon you as you waited in the increasingly uncomfortable silence.

Wow, Nat had really screwed the pooch on this one. You handed the mike off to Thor and headed for the door, wanting nothing except to become a hermit for the next fifty or so years, until your public humiliation began to fade.

*

Loki could not help but wish that she was singing to him as the song neared its end. She had a beautiful voice, and even though he wanted to roll his eyes and tell himself the song was cheesy, damned if he didn’t enjoy it. But knowing she sang it for someone else made it feel like little needles were jabbing his skin.

She stepped down and began to walk through the partygoers, heading for her presumed boyfriend. He could sense her moving closer. How had he missed the man? He must be right behind him.

Then her sparkly shoes were directly ahead of him. He raised his head and she was looking right at him, singing with a hopeful, yet nervous, look on her face.

When she pointed at him, he was astonished. She was singing to *him*? What about her boyfriend? He was so confused by this turn of events that he sat completely still, trying to understand what was happening. But he had taken too long to figure things out, and she fled the room as he watched her in shock.

“Brother, go after her!” Thor urged. He turned and looked at his brother for just a moment before he leaped from his seat and ran after her, hoping he had not waited too long to take action.

*

You hurried to the elevator as quickly as your stupid high heels allowed. Pressing the button repeatedly even though you knew it wouldn’t make the elevator come any faster, you stood there, desperately hoping it would appear and whisk you away from the site of your ignominy.

You heard Loki’s voice calling your name as the elevator dinged to announce itself. You stepped in and punched the Door Close button, convinced that it wasn’t actually connected to anything because it never seemed to do any good. Loki stepped between the doors just as they were closing.

Great. Now you were stuck in a confined space with the object of your unrequited affection, with no escape. You pressed the button for your floor, resolutely refusing to look at him.

He waved his hand, and the elevator stopped moving. He said nothing for a few seconds, then you heard his quiet voice.

“I am confused.”

You laughed. “About what? I think I made it pretty clear back there. And I get it, you’re not into me. It’s fine. We don’t need to talk about it anymore. In fact, I would very much prefer that no one ever speak of this night again.”

“No, I am very much interested in you. I had thought I had made that obvious,” he answered.

“Then why have you been avoiding me and acting weird? You barely spoke to me at the party, and that right back there? If you look up the definition of ‘crash and burn,’ you’ll see a picture of me and a description of what just happened.”

“You do not have a boyfriend?” he asked, a perplexed frown creasing his forehead.

“No, of course not! I’d be a pretty crap girlfriend if I did, practically throwing myself at you over the last few weeks.”

“Then who was that I saw with you in the lobby yesterday? He looked quite...friendly.”

You closed your eyes, sighing. So the Widow had been right. Damn her. She was going to be so insufferable now.

“That was my brother. We hadn’t seen one another in a year and I didn’t know he was coming. In fact, I had seen you by the coffee shop and was going to introduce the two of you, but you had already gone. And then you pulled your disappearing act, and I didn’t get the chance.”

Now it was Loki who closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, there was a soft affection there and, finally, an understanding.

“I am sorry, my sweet gyðja,” he said, taking your hands in his.

“What does that mean?” you asked. “I’ve heard you call me that a few times.”

“Gyðja? It means ‘goddess.’”

You stared at him in disbelief. “You’ve been calling me your goddess?”

“Of course. What else could you be to me?”

You surged forward and threaded your fingers through his hair, pulling his perfect face down to yours and pressing your lips to his. His mouth opened over yours, and you plunged your tongue into it, putting all of your suppressed emotion and passion into the kiss as Loki groaned in response.

Now it was his turn to plunder your mouth as your hands moved down, one stroking across his back as the other found and cupped his perfect ass.

“Oh, I knew that would feel good!” you pulled back to say, watching as his eyes darkened with arousal.

His gaze lingered at your neckline for a moment before continuing down the rest of your body.

“You are wearing entirely too much clothing,” he announced.

“Are the security cameras on?” you asked.

“No, but I can think of more comfortable places in which to continue this.”

“Your place, or mine?” you asked, grinning at the cheesiness of the line.

“We are likely to have less of a chance of being disturbed if we are in my quarters,” he answered.

“Your place it is, then!” you said, pressing the button for his floor. You continued kissing and touching one another as the elevator started back up again, the doors opening once you reached the right floor. You stepped out and Loki took your hand as you walked to his door.

You spoke as he opened the door. “It’s about time you figured things out. I was starting to think I was going to have to show up here, clad in nothing but wrapping paper with a tag bearing your name on it.”

“Could you still do that?” he said, his eyes gleaming.

“I’m sure that could be arranged.”

“I am starting to believe you’re not nearly as innocent as everyone else thinks.”

“I think the word has already gotten out about that. But perhaps you can test your hypothesis tonight.”

He pulled you to his chest and delivered a devastating kiss.

“As you wish,” he said, tugging you into his room and sealing the door shut behind the two of you.


End file.
